Writers Bessy Reyna and John Stanizzi Among those Featured in "Bend in the River" Series at Tunxis

Celebrated writers Bessy Reyna and John Stanizzi will lead two workshops this fall as part of Tunxis Community College's "Bend in the River" series.

Writing Your Memoir, Sat., Sept. 27: Poet and former Hartford Courant columnist, Bessy Reyna will conduct a one-day workshop on memoir writing. Through guided discussions and exercises, she will help participants build a foundation that will support their efforts to explore and capture significant life moments. Reyna has led memoir writing workshops at the Mark Twain House, the Hill-Stead Museum, and many other venues. Her bilingual poetry collection "Memoirs of the Unfaithful Lover" was published by tunAstral press, Mexico. Her work has also appeared in literary magazines and anthologies throughout the United States and Latin America. Fee: $95

Poetry Reading and Writing, Sat., Oct. 18: A one-day workshop for those who want to hone their skills in reading and writing poetry, with teacher, author and poet John Stanizzi. Stanizzi will help workshop participants become more adept at close reading, gain a better grasp of some great poems, and create their own draft of a potential poem or two. Stanizzi is the author of "Ecstasy Among Ghosts," now in its fourth printing, "Sleepwalking," "Windows," "Dance Against the Wall," and "After the Bell." Twice nominated for the Pushcart Prize, in 1998 Stanizzi was named The New England Poet of the Year by The New England Association of Teachers of English. He teaches English at Manchester Community College and Bacon Academy. Fee: $95

"Bend in the River" is a series of short non-credit courses for those who love to learn and experience new challenges. With no exams or grades to worry about, courses are designed for intellectual stimulation and enrichment, and include offerings such as arts, music, film, health, and social networking. All classes are held on campus in Farmington. For more information on these and other courses, visit tunxis.edu/bend, or call 860.314.4700.